Joker walks away smiling, thinking, "She's actually pretty… really pretty. Confident, sharp—almost my type. Honestly, she kind of matches me: hot, handsome, and clearly date-worthy."
.....
Roben stood outside the hotel, his gaze fixed on the upper floors. It was the same hotel where Elena was staying. After a brief moment, he moved—silently—scaling his way up and slipping onto her balcony.
Inside the room, Elena was resting on her bed, casually scrolling through her phone. Then, suddenly, her eyes paused. Just for a second.
She let out a quiet breath, shifted comfortably, and leaned back against the pillows. In a calm, almost lazy voice, she spoke,
"Since you've already come this far, you might as well come inside."
As she said it, her eyes turned toward the balcony door.
Roben stepped in without hesitation and took a seat on the sofa in her room. There wasn't even a hint of surprise on his face when he heard her invitation. He had expected this.
After all, with Elena's skills, it was impossible for his presence to go unnoticed.
As Roben settled into the sofa, his gaze lifted to her.
Elena, sensing it, finally looked up from her phone. Her eyes met his.
For the first time since he arrived, her expression shifted.
Her calm faltered—just slightly.
When she saw his face clearly, her brows lifted, surprise flashing across her features before she could mask it. Not fear. Not tension. Just genuine, unexpected recognition.
The room fell into a brief, heavy silence, their eyes locked—measuring, reading, reassessing.
It seemed that for once, Elena hadn't anticipated who would be standing in front of her.
Roben felt it the moment their eyes met.
Elena didn't look threatening—and that was exactly what made her dangerous. There was no visible tension in her body, no defensive stance, no sign of alarm. She was calm in a way that only came from absolute control.
To him, she didn't feel like a civilian resting in a hotel room. She felt like someone who had already calculated every possible outcome. Someone who didn't need to move to dominate the situation.
Her gaze was sharp, observant, stripping away assumptions without effort. It wasn't curiosity in her eyes—it was assessment. As if she were deciding whether he was worth her attention… or her time.
Roben realized then—Elena wasn't surprised by danger.
She expected it.
And that quiet certainty, that effortless composure, made her far more unsettling than any obvious threat.
Elena studied Roben's face for a moment longer—and then smiled.
Not a shy smile.
Not a soft one.
The kind of smile that knew exactly what it was doing.
"I didn't realize I made that strong an impression," she said lazily. "That the moment I arrived in the capital, you'd follow me all the way to my hotel just to see me."
Her smile widened, unmistakably smug.
"Though, to be fair, I can't really blame you. My charm does tend to have that effect."
She tilted her head slightly, eyes gleaming.
"I am beautiful, after all."
Then, as if remembering something mildly amusing, she added,
"And that night—when I took better care of you than your own nurses did? Stayed up, watched over you, made sure you survived?"
Her gaze sharpened, playful yet piercing.
"Well… getting emotionally attached after that was practically inevitable."
She leaned back, completely at ease.
"As reactions go, yours is actually quite normal."
Roben listened to her in silence before finally speaking, his tone flat.
"You're always this sarcastic."
For a heartbeat, Elena froze.
Then—dramatically—she placed a hand over her chest, eyes widening as if struck by an invisible blow.
"Oh, handsome," she said, voice trembling with exaggerated hurt, "how could you say something so cruel?"
She sighed deeply, as though her heart had just shattered into pieces.
"I liked you the moment I saw you," she continued, gaze full of mock sincerity. "Love at first sight. Truly."
Her head shook slowly, disappointment written all over her face.
"And now look at you—hurting my feelings so casually."
She straightened, pointing at herself with absolute confidence.
"If you keep this up, this beautiful lady," she said dramatically, "will be swept away by someone else."
Her lips curved into a teasing smile as she finished,
"And you? You'll be standing in some corner, writing poems about regret."
The room fell quiet—her performance flawless, her eyes gleaming with mischief.
Roben caught the mischief glinting in her eyes.
He didn't indulge it.
Without wasting another second on her theatrics, his tone turned serious.
"Did you notice the camera?"
Elena stared at him as if he had just committed an unforgivable crime.
Slowly, dramatically, she straightened.
"So," she said, disbelief heavy in her voice, "you climbed all the way up here just to ask whether I looked at the terrace… and whether I saw the camera?"
Her hand flew to her chest.
"You didn't come to see me?"
Her eyes glistened with exaggerated pain.
"I'm deeply hurt. Truly wounded."
She shook her head, disappointment written all over her face.
"Handsome, you have absolutely no concern for your darling's feelings. None at all."
Roben didn't react. Not to the drama. Not to the accusations.
"Just answer," he said calmly.
Elena gasped, as if struck again.
"Oh. So that's it?" she snapped. "Fine. Yes—I saw it. I understood everything. Now leave."
She turned her face away with great flair.
"And don't show me your face again. Today, you've hurt me deeply. This is the reward I get for my love?"
Roben ignored every word of it.
"How did you know there was a camera there?" he asked.
Elena looked back at him, her expression wounded—but her eyes far too sharp to sell the act completely.
"Because my eyes," she replied coolly, "are exceptionally good."
She paused, her tone softening just a fraction—thoughtful now.
She had known people were watching through that pinhole camera. She had known someone would come to question her about it.
What she hadn't expected… was that it would be him.
Still, she shrugged inwardly.
She had been getting bored.
And now—
she glanced at Roben, a faint smile returning—
"Well," she thought, looks like my entertainment decided to walk in on its own.
Elena realizes that Lucas's dramatic ways weren't useless after all. Using the same exaggerated tone and emotional flair he once used on her, she now mirrors it back at this man—and enjoys every second of it. Watching him deal with her theatrics amuses her; what once felt annoying has turned into unexpected entertainment. Elena enjoys using Lucas's dramatic style on Roben and finds it surprisingly entertaining. Amused, she decides that next time she meets Lucas, she'll give him her WeChat ID—after all, she owes him credit for inspiring such an excellent source of fun.
Roben looked at Elena and understood immediately—there would be no serious answers from her. She wasn't talking to inform him; she was talking to amuse herself.
He had no intention of becoming anyone's entertainment.
Without another word, he stood up and turned to leave.
"Handsome," Elena called out lazily behind him, stopping him mid-step. "You haven't given me your WeChat ID yet."
She smiled, clearly enjoying the moment.
"You do realize how rare this opportunity is, right?"
She gestured toward herself with effortless confidence.
"I'm beautiful. Ridiculously charming. Smart, hot, sweet, and unforgettable."
Her smile widened.
"People usually ask for my WeChat. I'm being generous by reminding you."
She tilted her head, eyes glinting with mischief.
"So? Are you really going to walk away… or do you want a story you'll remember?"
Roben glanced back at her and said calmly,
"No, thanks."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away, leaving the room without wasting a single second.
Elena watched him leave, a faint smile of amusement playing on her lips, as if the scene had entertained her far more than she expected.
Roben stepped out of the hotel. Parked across the street was Joker's car, engine already running. He got in without a word, and the vehicle pulled away smoothly.
Inside the car, Joker handed him a file.
"Sir, this contains all available information on Elena Carter."
Roben took the file and began to read.
At first glance, her life looked… ordinary. Almost too ordinary.
A simple background. No scandals. No power plays. Everything remained unchanged—right up until the accident.
After that, Elena Carter was no longer the same person.
She had quietly removed her old agent. Recovered money from her ex-boyfriend. Cut ties with people she once hesitated to even confront. On paper, it all looked reasonable. Logical, even.
But Roben knew better.
The girl who once avoided direct conversations with her own agent was now planning against her.
The woman who had never trained in martial arts fought with the precision of a seasoned soldier.
Too precise.
Roben closed the file slightly and spoke without looking up.
"Is this everything you have on her?"
"Yes, Major," Joker replied immediately.
Roben said nothing.
Joker glanced at him through the rearview mirror, a frown forming. What kind of detail could make someone like him pause this long?
Everyone knew Roben Sebastian—the second son of Denial Sebastian. The man who practically ran the Sebastian Group, its acknowledged heir.
What most people didn't know…
was that Roben was also a special officer in the army.
His authority rivaled that of the most powerful men.
He commanded his own private team.
And if he was thinking this hard—
Then Elena Carter was far more dangerous than her file suggested.